OMM Newsroom
The United States and Iran are studying proposals intended to pave the way for an agreement, while mediation efforts to bridge differences between the two sides continue, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday, according to Anadolu Agency.
“Efforts to bridge the gap between the two sides of the crisis, the United States and Iran, are still ongoing,” al-Ansari said at a news briefing carried by Doha-based “Al Jazeera”.
He said Washington and Tehran were considering proposals presented as part of efforts to establish the conditions needed for an agreement. Both sides continued to show commitment to negotiations, he added.
Qatar is working closely with regional partners and the international community to end the crisis, al-Ansari said. He also cited “very high-level coordination” among regional leaders to find a solution and prevent further escalation.
Doha is seeking an agreement that can build confidence and strengthen peace in the region, he said.
On maritime security, al-Ansari said freedom of navigation was “non-negotiable” and that Qatar rejected any threats against its tankers or other vessels.
Separately, he rejected accusations by Israeli parties that Qatar was interfering in Israel’s elections, saying Doha would not accept being made a “scapegoat”.
The remarks come amid continued tensions between Iran and the US following the war launched by Washington and Israel against Tehran on Feb. 28. Iran has repeatedly called for an end to a US naval blockade and the lifting of economic sanctions as part of efforts to reach a diplomatic settlement.
On Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who leads Tehran’s negotiating team, said Iran had delivered a “firm and rational” response to Washington and that the US must now decide whether to prevent another war.
Qalibaf also warned that any renewed US military action would trigger an “unpredictable” Iranian response without geographical limitations.
